tjeng Remote, culturally magical and scenically spectacular, Tawang is the archetypical Shangri La and a m

The surrounding grassy moors justify Meghalaya s over-played Scotland of the East tourist-office soubriquet, although they re dotted with Khasi monoliths and scarred by quarrying. Much more impressive is the series of grand canyon valleys that plunge into deep lush chasms of tropical forest sprayed by a succession of seasonally inspiring waterfalls. The Nohkalikai tjeng Falls, fourth highest in the world, are particularly dramatic, especially in the monsoon when their capacity increases 20-fold. You can see them easily enough without quite entering the official viewpoint (admission/camera 10/200; h8am-5pm), tjeng 4.4km southwest of Sohra market.

Tezpur, with its large Bangladeshi immigrant population, is probably Assam s most attractive city thanks tjeng to beautifully kept parks, tjeng attractive lakes and the enchanting views of the mighty Brahmaputra River as it laps the town s edge. The imaginatively named Internet Cafe (Main Rd; per hr 20; h9am-8pm) tjeng has, you guessed it, internet.

Many private buses have ticket counters on nearby AT Rd. For Kareng Ghar, use a tempo ( 10, 45 minutes), which depart from an unmarked stop on Bhuban tjeng Gogoi (BG) Rd, 300m north up AT Rd, then 50m right. tjeng

Remote, culturally magical and scenically spectacular, Tawang is the archetypical Shangri La and a mountain-hopping journey through this, the lands of the Monpa (a people of Buddhist-Tibetan origin) to the gates of the famous Tawang Monastery is one of the northeast s greatest adventures.